Process and apparatus for finishing garments utilizing supersaturated steam



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' UTILIZING SUPERSATURATED'STEA Filed April 8, 1968 I Feb. 10, 1970 6 Sheets-Sheet 4 I INVENTGR.

JEEPVM M Mun/v BY Feb. 10, 1 970 I J. N. M MILLAN 3,494,516 PROCESS AND APPARATUS FOR FINISHING GARMENTS UTILIZING SUPERSATURATED STEAM Filed April 8, 1968 e Sheets-Sheet 5 INYENTOR. Jseey Al. Milllzmu J N MQMILLAN 33,494,516 PROCESS AND vAPPARATUS FOR FINISHING GARMENTS' Feb. 10,1970

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United States Patent US. Cl. 223-57 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE The disclosure describes a process and apparatus for finishing garments such as trousers and uniforms utilizing supersaturated steam. The garments are initially mounted on a mounting element. supersaturated steam is sprayed under pressure into the interior of the garment from a single source to rapidly and efiiciently distribute water to the entire garment in a short period of time to regenerate the sizing or body building material in the fabric. The supersaturated steam pressure balloons the garment to place the garment under tension to remove the wrinkles. Hot air is then blown into the interior of the garment to dry the garment while under tension. Pressing bucks press against the garment to press the garment. The supersaturated steam is generated by utilizing a plant steam source and then adding steam condensate to the steam immediately upstream of a spray nozzle.

Background of the invention This invention relates to processes and apparatus for finishing garments and more particularly to processes and apparatus for finishing garments utilizing supersaturated steam.

The process of garment finishing entails those operations whereby a garment is restored to its original condition after the garment has been cleaned by washing or dry cleaning. The subject invention is especially applicable to the finishing of garments that have been cleaned with a dry-cleaning solvent.

Steam-air finishing machines for unit finishing have been available for many years and are now considered commonplace in many dry cleaning establishments. Representative machines of this type are disclosed in US. Patent No. 2,424,484, No. 2,562,956 and No. 2,723,785 in which live steam is sprayed into the interior of the garment to soften the material and render it pliable prior to blowing hot air into the interior of the garment to dry the garment in a distent state.

One of the principal objects of this invention is to provide a new process and apparatus for improving the appearance of a garment during finishing.

An additional object of this invention is to provide a process and apparatus for finishing garments that utilize the garment as a conduit for transmitting supersaturated steam throughout the interior of the garment to efiiciently and accurately moisten the garment with the proper amount of moisture.

A further object of this invention is to provide a process and apparatus for finishing garments that utilizes live steam or air from a single outlet as a water carrying medium and the interior walls of the garment as a conduit for efiiciently distributing the water throughout the garment to efiiciently regenerate the garment sizing resin and starch.

An additional object of this invention is to provide a process and an apparatus for regenerating the sizing or body building material of garments that have been cleaned in dry cleaning solvent.

These and other objects and advantages of this invention ice will become apparent upon reading of the following detailed description of a preferred and alternate embodiment.

Brief description of the drawings A preferred embodiment and alternate embodiment of this invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a garment finishing machine for performing the subject process invention therein;

FIG. 2 is a schematic cross sectional view taken along line 22 in FIG. 1 showing supersaturated steam under pressure being applied to the interior of a garment mounted on the machine;

FIG. 3 is a schematic cross sectional view similar to FIG. 2 except showing the garment being ballooned by hot air and pressed between pressing elements;

FIG. 4 is a schematic flow diagram of a steam system that is embodied in the garment finishing machine for performing the instant process;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of an alternate garment finishing machine for performing the subject process invention;

FIG. 6 is a schematic sectional view taken along line 66 in FIG. 5 showing the application of supersaturated steam to the interior of a garment mounted on the alternate machine;

FIG. 7 is a schematic cross sectional view similar to FIG. 6 except showing the closing of pressing bucks to press the garment; and

FIG. 8 is a schematic flow diagram of a steam system that is embodied in the alternate machine for performing the instant process.

Detailed description of the preferred embodiment and alternate embodiments Referring to FIG. 1 there is shown a garment finishing machine 10 that is particularly designed for finishing such garments as uniforms, skirts, shop coats, smocks, jackets and blouses for covering the upper portion of the human body. The garments of this type generally have a large torso or bottom opening and smaller neck and arm openings. A garment 11 is shown mounted on the machine about a manikin or mounting element 12. The manikin 12 is mounted on a base 14. Stretching elements 13 are mounted adjacent the manikin for receiving and engaging the sides of the garment to hold the garment on the manikin 12. As may be particularly seen in FIGS. 2 and 3 the manikin 12 has two spaced center bucks or panels 16 and 17 for engaging and receiving the chest and back portions respectively of the garment. Both of the center bucks are steam heated.

A steam heated movable front buck 18 is mounted substantially upright on the base 14 opposing the chest panel 16 for pressing the chest portion of the garment therebetween. A steam heated movable back buck 20 is mounted upright on the base 14 for moving against the back panel 17 to press the back portion of the garment therebetween.

A steam system is provided for heating the front, back and center bucks and for providing steam to a steam coil 21 for heating the hot air that is blown from the fan (not shown) mounted in the rear of the machine. The steam system is schematically shown in FIG. 4. The steam that is utilized is provided from a plant or central boiler with a steam in-line 22 entering the machine 10. The steam line 22 is generally under a pressure of between 30 and psi. In-line 22 divides into a branch line 23 that connects with the front, center and side bucks and a branch line 24 that connects with the steam coil 21. A return line 25 is provided for the front, center and side bucks.

A return line 26 from the steam coil 21 flows as directed to a condensate tank 27 which separates the steam from the water condensate. The steam ascends to the top of the tank 27 and flows therefrom through a steam line 28. A steam valve 30 is provided in the steam line 28 'for regulating the flow of steam from the condensate tank. The condensate from the tank flows from the condensate tanks through a water condensate line 31. A water line 32 leads from the bottom of the condensate tank and interconnects -with the steam line 28. A valve 33 is mounted in the line 32 for regulating the flow of water through the water line 32. A supersaturated steam line 34 runs from the intersection of the steam line 28 and the water line 32 to a nozzle 35 that is mounted in the manikin for spraying supersaturated steam into the interior of the garment. Steam traps 37 and 38 are mounted in the lines 25 and 31 respectively for exhausting any remaining steam that might be contained in the condensate lines.

For purposes of definition and clarificationsupersaturated steam is defined as steam having an excess of water contained therein over and above the saturated point in which the excess is normally in the form of water particles or spray.

It should be particularly noted that the machine 10 does not require a water source for producing supersaturated steam but utilizes the steam condensate for mixing with the steam to produce supersaturated seam to condition the garment during the finishing operation.

During the operation of the garment finishing machine 10 the operator mounts the garment over the manikin or mounting element 12 with the neck aperture projecting upwardly and the arm apertures extending to the sides. The stretching elements 13 engage the sides of the garment to hold the garment on the manikin. After the garment is properly mounted on the finishing machine the operator opens the valves 30 and 33 to permit the steam and water to mix and spray the supersaturated steam through the nozzle 35 to the interior of the garment as is shown in FIG. 2. The supersaturated steam Flows throughout the interior of the garment with a portion thereof passing out through the neck and arm apertures to provide for good flow characteristics to moisten the entire garment within a relatively short period. The arm and neck apertures are relatively small compared to the total area of the garment to provide orifices to maintain a substantial pressure within the garment.

The supersaurated steam pressure causes the garment to balloon or distend outwardly to remove any wrinkles. As the supersaturated steam engages the interior of the garment the water immediately condenses on the garment regenerating the sizing or the body building material of :he garment and softening the garment to enable the wrinkles to be readily removed. After the steam has been )n for a specified period, the valves 30 and 33 may be :losed. Immediately thereafter, air is forced by the fan {not shown) through the coil 21 to heat the air and then force the air through the base of the base 14 into the nterior of the manikin to dry the garment while the garment is ballooned. The front buck 18 and the back )UCk 20 are then moved inwardly against the garment press the chest and back portion of the garment against :he center bucks.

As should be particularly noted the nozzle 35 may be :ositioned near the base of the manikin in a fixed posiion and still effectively distribute the supersaturated :team throughout the entire garment since the walls of he garment themselves act as a conduit with the arm 1nd neck apertures of the garment serving as orifices to naintain pressure Within the garment to balloon the garnent outwardly and to place the garment in tension.

An alternate embodiment is shown in FIG. of a garnent machine 40 for finishing garments such as trousers,

slacks and shorts, that have a large torso opening at the top and two leg openings at the bottom. For purposes of illustration the garment machine 40 has a pair of trousers 41 mounted thereon in an upright mannerwith the legs 42 and 43 extending downwardly. The torso or waist portion is mounted on the machine with the waistband open. The garment machine 40 has a base 45 with an upright frame 46 mounted thereon. A- hood or mounting element 47 is mounted on the upright frame forward of the frame 46. A steam heated center buck 48 is mounted upright on the base 45 for receiving the crotch of the trousers thereon and dividing the trouser legs. Steam heated movable side bucks 50 and 51 are mounted on the 'base 45 for movement to and from the sides of the center buck 48. A fan 52 is mounted in the hood 47 for forcing air into the hood.

The garment machine 40 has a steam system for supplying live steam to the side bucks 50 and 51, the center buck 48, and to a steam coil 53 mounted in the hood 47. A schematic flow diagram of the steam system is illustrated in FIG. 8. The steam is supplied from a plant boiler or central steam system and enters the garment machine through an in-line 54. The in-line 54 divides into a branch line 55 for carrying the steam to the side bucks 50 and 51 and the center buck 48. A second branch line 56 carries live steam to the coil 53 for heating the air supplied by the fan 52. A return line 57 from the coil conducts the steam to a condensate tank 58 for separating the steam from the water condensate. The steam from the condensate tank flows through a steam line 60. A valve 61 is mounted in the steam line 61 for regulating the flow of steam therethrough. A water line 62 conducts the condensate from the condensate tank from the garment machine. A water line 63 is connected to the 'bottom of the condensate tank for conducting Water to the steam line to supersaturate the steam. A water valve 64 is mounted in the water line 63 for regulating the flow of water therethrough. A supersaturated steam line 65 extends from the intersection of the steam line 60 and the water line 63 for conducting the supersaturated steam to a nozzle 66 mounted on the hood and directed downwardly into the trousers through the torso opening.

During the operation of the garment machine 40 the operator mounts a pair of trousers on the machine with the waistband of the trousers attached to the hood. The crotch of the trousers is placed over the top of the center buck 48 with the legs 42 and 43 of the trousers extending downwardly with one leg between the side buck 50 and the center buck and the other leg between the side buck 51 and the center buck 48. The operator then opens the valves 61 and 64 to start the flow of supersaturated steam through the nozzle 66 and throughout the interior of the trousers to rapidly moisten the trousers and regenerate the stiffener and body building materials of the trousers. The supersaturated steam pressure balloons the trousers outwardly to remove the wrinkles of the trousers. A portion of the supersaturated steam flows out through the leg openings to provide a flow of the supersaturated steam throughout the entire length of the trousers. After the trouser sizing has been properly regenerated, valves 61 and 64 are closed to stop the flow of the supersaturated steam into the trousers. The fan 52 is then operated to blow air through the steam coil and into the trousers to balloon the trousers to maintain the trousers in a condition of tension while they are being dried by the hot air. The side bucks 50 and 51 are then operated to move inwardly against the ballooned trousers and the air pressure in the trousers to progressively press the trousers.

It should 'be understood that the above described embodiments are simply illustrative of the principles of this invention and numerous other embodiments and modifications may be made without deviating from the principles thereof.

What is claimed is: 1. A process for finishing and pressing garments comprising the steps of:

(a) mounting a garment to a mounting form;

(b) injecting sufiicient supersaturated steam into the interior of the garment to moisten the garment and to uniformly distend the garment to remove the wrinkles;

(c) blowing sufiicient hot air into the interior of the garment to distend and dry the garment with the wrinkles removed; and

(d) moving a hot pressing buck against the outside of the distended garment to press the garment while the garment is being dried.

2. A process as defined in claim 1 wherein each garment has several different sized openings and wherein the supersaturated steam is injected into the interior of the garment through the largest opening and wherein a portion of the steam flows from the garment through one or more of the other openings.

3. A process as defined in claim 2 wherein each garment is a pair of trousers with a torso opening at the top and leg openings at the bottom and wherein the supersaturated steam is injected into the interior of the trousers through the torso opening and a portion of the steam flows from the trousers through the leg openings.

4. A process as defined in claim 2 wherein each garment is a uniform or shirt having a torso opening at the bottom and arm openings near the top and wherein the supersaturated steam is injected into the interior of the uniform or shirt through the torso opening and a portion of the steam flows from the garment through the arm openings.

5. In an apparatus for finishing uniforms that has a frame, a manikin mounted upright on the frame for receiving a uniform thereover, a hot air system for blowing hot air into the interior of the uniform to dry the uniform, in combination with the improvement of a steam system that comprises:

(a) a spray nozzle mounted to the manikin;

(b) a first line extending to the manikin and connected to the nozzle;

(c) a condensate tank mounted on the frame for separating water condensate from steam;

(d) a second line extending between the first line and the condensate tank for communicating steam to the first line; and

(e) a third line extending between the condensate tank and the first line for communicating water to the first line to form supersaturated steam in the first line for spraying into the interior of the uniform to moisten the uniform prior to blowing hot air into the uniform.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,529,899 11/1950 Bayler 3821 2,562,662 7/1951 Glover 223- 2,587,745 3/1952 Maurer 22370 2,669,374 2/1954 Jones 223--57 3,208,652 9/1965 Zimmermann 22373 3,216,633 11/1965 Paris 223-70 3,333,747 8/1967 Glover 223-70 MERVIN STEIN, Primary Examiner GEORGE V. LARKIN, Assistant Examiner US. Cl. X.R. 38-17; 223-70 

